Add Star Wars Special Effects To Your Videos With Action Movie FX

The popular Action Movie FX iPhone and iPad app by J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions updates itself in preparation of every major movie release by the production company, and the highly-anticipated seventh episode in the Star Wars film saga is no exception.

With just a little over one month to go till Star Wars: The Force Awakens hits theaters, the iOS app has been updated with three special effects themed after the original trilogy and four from the upcoming film, out of which one, featuring the adorable new BB-8 droid, is available for free. Bad Robot plans to donate all sales of the remaining six paid offerings to the UNICEF Kid Power initiative. If you believe in the Force and a good cause.

The effects are top-notch, but that’s no surprise; they’ve been made by Industrial Light & Magic – the Lucasfilm company behind the VFX being used in the movie. They’re really easy to apply, too. All you have to do is film a flat surface and try to hold your hands steady. The app indicates where your subject should be, and once you’re done filming, allows you to re-position the effect and adjust its timing. Rendered videos can be saved to the Camera Roll, shared over social media and exported as GIFs.

Our personal favorite is Vader’s Revenge, where the Sith Lord enters the frame delivering his iconic “you have failed me for the last time” line before Force-slamming debris down onto the subject. The free BB-8 Spark offering comes in a close second. Watch the official trailer for the update below to get a taste of the new effects.

If you’re a Star Wars fan who posts regularly to Vine or Instagram, this app isn’t one to miss. Even if you don’t plan to shell out cash for its in-app purchases, there are several free effects to play around with, including those added to the app before the release of Star Trek: Into Darkness and Call of Duty: Black Ops II. All that makes up for several videos worth of fun.

The app itself is available for free on the App Store while the six new paid effects are being sold in three pairs, each worth $0.99. You can download the app to your device from the link provided below.

I'm an engineer, blogger, and graphic designer who loves creating and experimenting with different forms of online content when he's not looking for a mix of inspiration and escape in PC gaming, comic books and anime. You can find me on Twitter and Google+.